Thursday, 29 October 2009

... I have finished making these three personalised mirrors. I had committed to making them for the end of October not realising at the time just how busy October was going to be. They were commissioned by a lady for her friend who has just adopted three children.

It's been such a dull, grey day here that the photos are not very good at all, the mirrors are much more colourful and sparkly in real life!

Despite the weather, I did find colour in the garden and today took the photos for the photo mosaic below. The Vibirnum bodnantense (top right) is smelling lovely too!

Earlier in October I took the photos for the following mosaic...

... so October is still a very colourful month. Not sure what I'll manage to find in November, won't be long now!

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

Hubby is off on holiday this week. Mainly he's using the time to prepare raised beds for increased vegetable production next year, but today he takes a break and we go for a little family outing on the bikes.

I hadn't actually realised (honest!) but we seem to have had a lot of rain recently. The water levels are very high as you can see.

We go for a walk in the woods at the bird sanctuary just a little bit further along the cycle path from our normal lochside stop.

The beech leaves in particular are very colourful just now.

I liked the mossy green tree trunks here.

It's quite interesting to be on the other side of the loch from normal, looking back towards the village. It looks very overcast but it was actually quite a pleasant morning (no rain!)

We peek at these swans from one of the hides.

On the way back home along the cycle path geese were flying overhead. When I see the geese it always puts me in mind of one of my favourite poems "The Wild Geese" by Violet Jacob; it's often set to music like a folk song (you can hear it on the site I've linked to) and it reminds me of Angus which is the lovely but not particularly well known part of Scotland I grew up in.

We manage to make use of some of the carrot harvest at tea time. Hubby is very pleased with his carrots!

Whilst traipsing up the garden to collect a few carrots (they're still lying out on the bench even now) I notice the beautiful pink clouds as the sun sets on another day.

Saturday, 24 October 2009

Today, after last night, I have a banana and alkaseltzer for breakfast before setting off a little later than normal! It's 8:45 before I hit the road but the mornings have been getting rather dark and I don't have lights. It is indeed rather a gloomy morning so my photos aren't great..I head out the village up the big hill. I was hoping the trees at the top would have turned copper but they're still lovely and green - let's not be too keen for them to change, they'll soon be bare for long enough! Lots of squirrels are crashing about in the branches and many leaves are tumbling to the ground.

A farm sign to add to my collection. I like the little red cap on the post and the telegraph poles behind.

Just after this point I turn right up a little road I've not been along for a while.

And another lovely sign, I like the ones with farm animals.

I park the bike and head into the woods to visit the little loch.

When I come back out the woods I end up chatting to a passing walker, you can see him disappearing down the road in the photo above. He's full of news about the locals and we gossip for quite a while. Apparently, just around the corner lives a vietnamese pot bellied pig owned by an airplane flying doctor, I do later see the pig (but not the doctor!)

Just as I pass this lovely dovecote it starts to rain heavily. I decide on a change of route and head home.

Last night I took a stall at a social evening held to raise funds for A's nursery.

I'm first to arrive for setting up so I bag the display area next to the wine! Tablecloth out first, then I arrange my wares...

...ahhh, lovely glassy beady baubles! I made the jewellery pieces about two years ago and went a bit daft at the time buying up beads! Last night I cut my prices and did manage to sell quite a few items.

Both beaded watches are now sold as are half the pendants and a few of the bracelets.

Most of the earrings have also gone. I've still a lot of beaded necklaces and sets left though and no takers for any of the suncatchers.

However, I sell my newest mirror, the one with the fern design...

...and I'm asked to keep by the birdie mirror.

I drink a few cups of red wine, munch several scrumptious cheesy nibbles, win a bottle of wine in the raffle and generally have a lovely evening chatting to friends, all of whom are other Mums from the village that I've been very lucky to come to know through having children.

As I type this A is singing me a "groovy song" at the top of her voice while wearing her new High School Musical cycling helmet bought this morning by daddy which she hasn't yet taken off. I'm finding it a little hard to concentrate so will finish now.

Wednesday, 21 October 2009

I've a little craft fair coming up on Friday night so I'm busy getting a few things ready. It's a good incentive for finishing off some lingering craft projects such as...... these blobby glass fridge magnets.

This one's my favourite, so I've kept it! It's jazzing up my fridge right now and looks rather nice even if I say so myself.

It's useful to have cheaper items to attract browsers who aren't really interested in investing in one of my mirrors.

I also have quite a few jewellery items. I discovered the pleasures of playing with beautiful glass beads and pendants a couple of years ago and became quite distracted by them for a while!The photo above is an old one of a bundle of bracelets. I don't have any recent photos of my jewellery but I will take a photo of my table display at the craft fair before they're all sold (haha!) to put in my next post. I'm not planning on making any new jewellery items to sell as my main focus is my leadwork.

I'll therefore be taking these leaded mirrors...The event is within walking distance and involves wine and cheese so I only want to take what I can carry! It's a fundraising event for A's nursery and to be honest the wine is usually more popular than the stalls so it's not worth the effort taking all my mirror stock along.

Among the mirrors above is one that I just finished this week......it's a new design. I'll see if it's popular before I'll make any more.

I will also take along a couple of suncatchers including this one...... the robin is one of my favourite design motifs, regardless of the time of year.

October has turned into a very busy month. Craftwise I'm also working on three personalised mirrors which I need to finish before the 31st. My crochet has had to be hidden away to prevent it distracting me!

Sunday, 18 October 2009

Brrrr! A cold start to the day. Glad of my gloves I freewheel down the road from our house at about 7:45am. The sun was just peeking above the trees and it promised to be a lovely day. By the time I'd puffed my way up the big climb out of the village I'd warmed up nicely!

A light frost dusts the fields.

Sunrise.

Funky farm sign.

Looking back at the Clochoderick Stone just before the crossroads where I turn right...

...past gorgeous scarlet berries...

...frosty leaves at my feet where I stop to take a photo.

There was a little robin bobbing about here, his red breast matching the ball topping the gate post. Sadly he didn't linger for a photo.

The air is very still. I leave the bike at the visitor centre and walk up to the top of...

... Windy Hill. This week it's not windy at all. This is the cairn at the top.

The view to the other side.

Then back down through the woods.

This fabulous horse chestnut is just beside the visitor centre. As it's such a beautiful day (and there probably won't be many more of them this year!) I decide to get back on the bike and head 3 miles further up the glen on rough track to the old mine.

There's not actually that much to see, this is the view looking back down the track from the old mine. It wouldn't be a particulary exciting walk. You do feel that you are quite in the middle of nowhere though.

Ignoring the healthy banana I've been carting about in my bar bag I buy a double decker at the visitor centre for breakfast then head off back home.

I really enjoy the gentle downhill cycle along the beautiful autumn roads.

The sound of roaring water attracts my attention as I approach the next village. I didn't know this waterfall was here - another new discovery!

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About Me

I like taking photos. Mainly it seems I take photos of the ever-changing countryside I see on my bike rides and of crocheted things I've made. Plus lots of other random everyday stuff. Thank you for visiting! Anne.